What's the Difference Between Being Overweight and Being Obese?
The terms "overweight" and "obese" are often used interchangeably. Although they both refer to excess body weight, they refer to different degrees of this condition. To determine the degree of a person's excess body weight accurately, many doctors use something called a Body Mass Index, or BMI, a measurement of weight that takes height into account. A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.99 is considered "overweight."
A person with a BMI of 30 or greater, or who is at least 30 lbs overweight (depending on height), would be diagnosed as "obese," the condition of being considerably overweight. BMI’s greater than 39 enter into the category of being Morbidly Obese. Morbidity is another way to say illness. If you are Morbidly Obese you have reached a size where serious illness is a likelihood without intervention.
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